When fall arrives I can’t seem to resist taking a few plants in for winter. Unfortunately, a few whiteflies often try to hitch a ride in with the plants.

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Check for these pests before moving plants indoors. Gently shake your garden plants and watch them disperse. If they’re on your tomatoes, they probably laid eggs on the tropicals you plan to move indoors.

Whitefly insects suck plant juices often causing stunted growth as well as yellow and brown leaves as they secrete a clear sticky substance. Most healthy outdoor plants can tolerate their feeding and cold winters will kill them.

Indoor plants growing in less-than-ideal conditions suffer.

Use homemade or commercial yellow sticky traps to reduce the population. This may be enough.

A bit more information: Fungus gnats are another common pest of indoor plants. They often move indoors with plants overwintered indoors or on holiday plants. They feed on the organic matter in the soil and usually don’t harm our plants. Allow the soil to go slightly drier or use the organic Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis to safely control the larvae of this pest.

Wondering what’s wrong with your plant? Or maybe you need some planting suggestions for shady, dry or difficult landscape sites. And how about strategies for bringing birds and butterflies into your garden. Find answers to your gardening questions, plant information in the A-Z plant lists and a Plant Guide to help you select just the right plant for your landscape.